Vultan Tin’s fairtytale triumph
Evergreen performer Vultan Tin, making his 168TH appearance in a race, caused a major boilover when he outsprinted superstar Chicago Bull in the home straight to storm to victory in the $450,000 TABtouch WA Pacing Cup at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Rarely has a pacer with such a humble and unpretentious background as the WA-bred Vultan Tin triumphed in a major group 1 feature event.
It was a fairytale story of triumph over adversity and a just reward for perseverance for 68-year-old Coolup hobby trainer Phil Costello, who outlaid a small sum to purchase Victorian-bred mare Toy Shop almost 26 years ago after she had finished an inconspicuous sixth behind Fatal Error in a country maiden event in Albany in January 1995.
That was her only start and she produced two foals, a colt and a filly, and only the filly, named Carravelle, raced. Carravelle failed to win from 17 starts before being retired to stud. Her first foal, Ellevarrac (the backwards spelling of her dam) managed just one win from 30 starts, a head victory over Our Captains Lady at Pinjarra in December 2008.
Vultan Tin, by American stallion Dawn Of A New Day, is the first foal out of Ellevarrac and the only one of her two progeny to have raced. Ellevarrac died in December 2015.
Now an eight-year-old, Vultan Tin has exceeded all expectations and his win on Friday night as a $43 outsider over the $1.26 favourite Chicago Bull has boosted his earnings to $862,986 from 27 wins and 42 placings from 168 starts.
Vultan Tin was having his fourth start in a WA Pacing Cup after finishing in tenth place at each of his three previous appearances — behind Soho Tribeca, Rocknroll Lincoln and Mighty Conqueror.
He went into the race with unplaced efforts at his five previous outings and his only win from his previous 23 starts was eight starts before the Cup when he led and defeated Chicago Bull in a 2536m Free-For-All in July this year.
Adding to the mystique and intrigue of Friday night’s big race was Costello’s engagement of ace 51-year-old reinsman Shannon Suvaljko to replace his 20-year-old daughter Emily, who had driven Vultan Tin at his previous couple of starts, but was unable to drive the gelding because of a suspension incurred for causing interference in a race.
Shannon Suvaljko had handled Vultan Tin only twice before — for an eighth behind Vampiro in the Pinjarra Cup on March 2 this year and a last placing behind Vampiro in a Free-For-All at Gloucester Park 11 nights later.
Costello admitted that he gave Vultan Tin very little hope of beating Chicago Bull, and he told Suvaljko that the gelding would have no chance of winning if he was driven out from the No. 3 barrier on the front line in the testing 2936m event.
“So, we devised a plan not to use him (early) and for Suvaljko to ease back and get a sit in the one-wide line,” said Costello. “Vultan Tin was able to get an ideal passage in the one-out, one-back position behind Galactic Star before racing one-out and two-back after Chicago Bull moved to the breeze (after dashing forward, three wide with 1500m to travel).”
Vampiro ($61) dashed to the front 500m after the start and set a solid pace, with stablemate and last year’s Pacing Cup winner Mighty Conqueror ($26) trailing him, and Galactic Star ($13) in the breeze until Chicago Bull assumed that position.
Gary Hall jnr sent Chicago Bull to the front about 220m from home, but the little champion was unable to hold out Vultan Tin, who burst to the front 65m from the post and went on to score by just over a length from Chicago Bull, rating 1.56.3. Mighty Conqueror finished third and Galactic Star was fourth.
This gave Suvaljko his second WA Pacing Cup victory. He trained and drove nine-year-old and 9/1 chance Vanlo Yorker to victory over Shardons Aflyin and Franco Amon in January 2008, bringing the veteran home with a powerful burst from eighth in the middle stages and sixth (three wide) at the bell.
“Vultan Tin deserved to win a Pacing Cup,” said Suvaljko. “The plan was to put him to sleep and become a swooper. I’ve won two now, and it would have been great if I was able to watch Emily win this race. However, she’s only young and has a bright future.”
The win gave Costello his second group 1 success, after winning the State Sires Series event for two-year-old colts and geldings in July 2001 with Hydroflyte, a smart colt he had driven to four wins before Lindsay Harper was successful with him in the Sires.
Costello said that Ellevarrac did not reach her potential, mainly because of her cranky behaviour. “She had ability, but she kept hurting herself,” he explained. “She kicked fences and gates and hurt her back legs.
“Vultan Tin does the same, but he is not quite as silly as she was. He likes kicking things, especially me, and he’s got me quite a few times. I don’t mind it and I can put up with it because he usually repays me. And you should hear him in the float. He hates the trains while we’re travelling along the Freeway. But once the train has passed, he settles down.”
Costello, who has prepared a small team of pacers over the past 45 years, named his current star after the now defunct Vultan Tin mine in the South-West of the State near Greenbushes.
“When Vultan Tin was born we called him Frank after my wife Denise’s father Frank Wilkes,” he said. “I wanted an appropriate name for the foal and chose Vultan Tin because Denise’s father had been the manager of the mine.”
Vultan Tin’s Pacing Cup triumph was gained at his fifth start after a spell, and Costello said that the tough gelding would continue racing after finally achieving his first group 1 success, following his wonderful fourth placing behind Lazarus, Chicago Bull and Tiger Tara in the Interdominion Championship final at Gloucester Park in December 2017, his Narrogin Cup victory in April 2017, his third behind My Field Marshal in the Fremantle Cup in January 2019 and his win in the group 2 City of Perth Cup in February 2019.
Champion reinsman Gary Hall jnr, aiming for his ninth win in the WA Pacing Cup, was philosophical after Chicago Bull’s defeat, saying: “You can’t win them all; there’s been bigger disappointments throughout my career. If I hadn’t won a few Pacing Cups I’d be a bit more disappointed. Chicago Bull felt a bit flat tonight. But when you look at the sectionals, that’s probably understandable.”
Chiaroscuro ends lean run
Speedy six-year-old Chiaroscuro bounced back to top form and ended a losing sequence of 18 and a 16-month drought when Colin Brown drove him to an easy all-the-way victory in the $25,000 Parliamentarians Cup over 2130m at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
A warm favourite at $1.75 from the prized No. 1 barrier, Chiaroscuro was not challenged for the lead and was able to coast through the lead time in a comfortable 37.4sec. and the opening quarter in 30.3sec. before increasing the tempo with final 400m sections of 29.6sec., 28sec. and 28.1sec. He rated 1.55.9 and beat As Happy As Larry, who fought on gamely after racing without cover. Bracken Sky trailed the pacemaker and ran home solidly to be third.
“That’s close to his best winning time,” said Brown. “Murray (trainer Murray Lindau) told me to wake him up in the preliminary, otherwise he would just loaf around. The track is pretty quick tonight, and he was running time on his ear, even when I had him under restraint.”
Claire McNaughton certainly has no regrets that she purchased Chiaroscuro for $18,500 at the 2015 Perth yearling sale. The Art Major gelding now has amassed $191,972in stakes from 16 wins and 22 placings. He is out of the New Zealand-bred mare Kelty Star (by Caprock) who won once from nine starts in New Zealand before racing seven times in WA in 2003 for three placings at Bunbury.
Jumpingjackmac is a WA Derby hope
Inexperienced New Zealand-bred gelding Jumpingjackmac gave convincing proof that he has the ability to develop into a leading candidate for the WA Derby next season when he set the pace and sprinted brilliantly over the final 800m in 54.9sec. to crush his rivals in the 2130m Mondo Doro Smallgoods Special Pace for two-year-olds at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Champion reinsman Gary Hall jnr was lavish in his praise, saying: “He’s pretty exciting and he’s got the right sort of frame and the right attitude to become a Derby hope.
“This is the first time I have driven him in a race. He was shying a bit in the score-up, but the good part was that he flew out from behind the mobile.”
Jumpingjackmac, who was produced in fine fettle by champion trainer Gary Hall snr, arrived in WA three months ago and was having only his third start in a race. He finished solidly when a winner on debut, at Pinjarra on November 16, before he raced four back on the pegs, met with interference and finished eighth behind Eldaytona at Gloucester Park four nights later.
He is by Mach Three and is the third foal out of Bettors Delight mare Jumpforjoy, who raced 21 times for seven wins, seven placings and stakes of $94,654. Jumpforjoy won the group 2 Southland Oaks at Invercargill in April 2011 and was a close third behind Carabella in the group 1 Diamond Classic at Ashburton two months later.
Jumpingjackmac was a solidly supported $2.90 favourite who beat his more seasoned rivals Robbie Rocket ($5.50) and Lavra Joe ($3.30). Robbie Rocket trailed the leader and finished solidly along the inside, while Lavra Joe raced wide early and then in the breeze.
Suvaljko completes a treble in style
Talented reinsman Shannon Suvaljko chalked up a treble at Gloucester Park on Friday night when he drove the Mike Reed-trained three-year-old filly Tiffany Rose to a dashing victory in the 2130m MBL Food Service Pace.
He had won earlier in the evening behind Vultan Tin and Waltzingwithsierra.
Tiffany Rose, favourite at $2.45, began speedily from the No. 4 barrier and set a slow early pace with an ambling lead time of 38.4sec. and moderate opening quarters of 31.5sec. and 30.8sec. before sprinting over the final 400m sections in 28.7sec. and 28.1sec.
“She’s lightning off the arm and she had plenty left at the finish when she was still doing it easily with the ear plugs in,” Suvaljko said.
Tiffany Rose won by 2m from the Peter Anderson-trained $11 chance Star Fromthepalace, who raced in the breeze and fought on in grand style. Justin Prentice’s New Zealand-bred filly Alta Louisa, a $20 chance from the outside barrier at No. 9, impressed when she was last in the field of ten at the bell before flying home, out five wide, to be an eye-catching third.
Tiffany Rose was placed at seven of her eight starts in New Zealand and has had 19 starts in WA for ten wins and three thirds.
Wide draw no worry for Waltzingwithsierra
Victorian-bred mare Waltzingwithsierra drew the favourable No. 2 barrier on Tuesday for the 2130m Mondo Doro Cup at Gloucester Park on Friday night, but she was ordered by the stewards to start out wide at No. 9 after galloping badly soon after the start of a race at Gloucester Park on Tuesday evening.
She was unwanted by punters and was a $66.70 tote outsider and even greater value at $81 on the fixed market.
However, in-form reinsman Shannon Suvaljko weaved some magic to land the six-year-old mare a surprise winner, beating $15 chance Henwood Bay by a length and a half, with the $1.45 favourite American Brave in third place.
While the polemarker Disco Under Fire ($6.50) jumped straight to the front, Suvaljko restrained Waltzingwithsierra back to last in the field of 12 before slipping through along the inside to settle down in seventh position.
Suvalko eased Waltzingsierra off the inside in the back straight in the final circuit and the mare came from fourth on the home turn to hit the front at the 50m mark and score a decisive victory at a 1.57.8 rate.
Trainer Katja Warwick said she didn’t expect Waltzingwithsierra to win. “But Shannon is on fire and is so clever the way he is able to get across to a nice position on the rail,” she said.
Roman Art survives a scare
Noted frontrunner Roman Art, favourite at $1.80 from the No. 1 barrier in the Pastrami Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night, gave his supporters a few moments of concern when he put in a couple of rough strides approaching the home turn.
But Chris Voak was able to get the Vic Bryers-trained four-year-old back into a smooth stride and the stallion went on to win by a half-length from $3 second fancy Gran Chico, with Dredlock Rockstar ($71) a sound third after enjoying the trail behind the pacemaker.
“He lost his rhythm and lost vital ground around the 300m mark,” said Voak. “This almost cost us the race. But he then held on strongly to win. Gran Chico started a three-wide move from sixth at the bell and fought on doggedly. He will pay to follow.
Roman Art, trained at Coolup and raced on lease by Bryers, has earned $79,551 from 11 wins and six placings from 24 starts.
Bettorgrinanbarit fights on gamely
Experienced mare Bettorgrinanbarit maintained her recent burst of good form by leading all the way in the Meat Me At The Post Handicap, a 2503m stand, at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Bred, owned and trained by Terry Ferguson, Bettorgrinanbarit was fourth favourite at $5.90 and Dylan Egerton-Green was able to get her quickly into stride to enjoy the frontrunning role. She covered the final 400m sections in 28.2sec. and 29.3sec. and won by a length from the 20m backmarker and $4.80 chance Thats Perfect.
The Victorian-bred Thats Perfect, making his WA debut, settled at the rear before sustaining a powerful three-wide burst from eighth at the bell.
“I didn’t get Bettorgrinanbarit away that good, but I did enough to hold the front,” said Egerton-Green. “Her run on Monday (when second to Yes Hes A Ladies Man in a 2116m stand at Pinjarra) was full of merit and put the writing on the wall.
“She was pretty keen over the first thousand metres before she came back to me. And then she was a bit under the pump from the 40o0m, but credit to her, she kept on fighting. She’s got a never-say-die attitude.”
Bettorgrinanbarit now has had 94 starts for nine wins, 24 placings and $90,486. She is the first foal out of Grin On The Beach, who had 67 starts for seven wins, 18 placings and $47,647.
Thereugo back in form
Three weeks ago Thereugo had a losing sequence of 24. But he has struck form with a vengeance and he has now won at two of his past three starts.
The noted frontrunner was a $3.70 chance from the No. 2 barrier in the 2130m Bringing Home The Bacon Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night when trainer Lindsay Harper dictated terms in front and guided the McArdle seven-year-old to a neck victory over $3.60 chance Cant Refuse, who trailed the pacemaker and ran home gamely along the inside.
Thereugo was put under plenty of pressure by the $3.30 favourite Rosies Ideal, who wilted over the final stages to finish fifth.
“I had to get away from Rosies Ideal at the 600m and that’s why we ran the third quarter of the final mile in 27.4sec.,” Harper explained.
Thereugo has been a splendid moneyspinner who now has raced 81 times for 22 wins, 15 placings and $202,626 in prizemoney. “He is back in form at his past three to four runs and there’s plenty more wins in store for him,” said Harper.
Halls start with a double
The powerful combination of trainer Gary Hall snr and reinsman Gary Hall jnr got away to a flying start at Gloucester Park on Friday night by winning the opening two events with New Zealand newcomer Diego and the WA-bred Liam Neil.
Hall jnr used similar frontrunning tactics to score a 2m victory with Diego, the $1.40 favourite, in the Mondo Doro Pace and the $1.20 fancy Liam Neil, who won by 2m in the Coppa Kabana Pace. The lead time in each 2130m event was an identical 37.7sec., but the four-year-old Diego rated a slick 1.55.1, while Liam Neil rated a slower 1.57.2.
Diego was untroubled to beat Lawrence, another newcomer from New Zealand who is now prepared by Greg and Skye Bond. Diego’s win was his third from his first three WA starts in the space of 13 days.
Liam Neil has inherited the pacemaking characteristics of his dam Jane Elouise, who set the pace in three of her four wins in a 14-start career.
Liam Neil is the seventh foal out of Jane Elouise and is a half-brother of Soho Jackman, who earned $368,278 from 32 wins and 33 placings from 123 starts. Thirteen of those wins were in WA, with Hall jnr in the sulky for six of those successes. Soho Jackman went on to win another 19 times in America.
Harriet Elizabeth is another of Jane Elouise’s progeny who earned $114,348 from 11 wins and nine placings from 36 starts.
Ken Casellas